Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-11

DIR. Parker mt the seaside with His
Non.sink able boat.
LIFE.SAvINa SrATIoN,

LFE-SAv1NG STATION,
VIRGINIA BEACH, Dec. 2, 1881.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
In brief editorial Of the 30th ultimo
noticed Won commended the life saving
service 10 the favor Of the Government.
Wishing TO find out If the storm was too
severe to launch life-boat l came down
here last evening on the train. There
was no light in the hotel nor IN the
spacious pavilion. No SQUAD heard out
the solemn, deep roar OF the ocean.
The east wind had driven the waves
over the entire beach, and, in following
one of the men from the life-saying sta
ton, had to go across the sand hills,
with strong wind (forty miles an hour)
dead ahead, blowing the sand into my
face. The one mile seemed three miles.
We were ushered into large room with
big cookIng-stove in the centre, sur
rounded by SIX or eight sturdy seamen
in various attitudes. The contrast be-
tween this hot room and the cold, bleak
outside made my head swim, and Tor
awhile | got uneasy. Captain hing tod
me that he could not possibly launch his
own boat, and be certainly could not
launch mine had | brought it down. Each
man had TO spend three hours tonight
upon this terrible, bowling beach some
times the wind would blow them
down. | expected to sleep on the
soft side OF plank, but got good
room and bed. All the rooms in this
house are sealed side and top with hard
pine, and they are very warm. In TINS
big room the men eat and SIT for CONVEX
sation. They are all steady, sober men,
most Of them quite young. This morn
ing they sent to Norfolk their orders for
one months ratiOns they get, | think,
but $50 q month, and have to find them
selves). and was glad to find that not
a drop of whiskey was on the list. Ihey
believe in sugar-l75 pounds Tor elSht
men for one month nearly twenty-five
pounds for each. 1t seems all sailors use
coffee and tea very sweet. | don't know
how to account for it. My attention was
drawn to this fact thirty years ago. gu
gar, by the way, is as nutritious as cod
liver oil. This morning ] noticed large
collections Of foam flying across the
sand-hills, looking precisely like wool.
Isit true that meerschaum pipes are made
from this foam
hope Congress will do something for
these most deserving men, AS you
know three months in the year they get
nothing. When oil duty they, like other
men in the marine service, should GER
tainly get half pay at least. a petition
will doubtless be presented to Congress
this session in their behalf.
Permit me to say that the sail made
by Messrs. Talbot s. Sons for my life
boat worked perfectly. Commodore
Brown had taken good care OF the boat
since her first trial with the iron-ribbed
sail in October, and he was kind enough
Yesterday to order some of his men to
rig nv boat with the new steel sail, and,
with three good sailors from the yard,
we launched forth with the wind blow
/ inc gale from the northeast. The sail
was perfectly manageable under the
crew. and the boat made good time both
on and before the wind. At one time
she careened a good deal, and we all
rushed to the high side, but there was
10 real danger OF upsetting. Indeed,
the boat can't be upset if ballasted.
After this trial made every effort to get
her ont to sea in this high wind.
I telegraphed to the Secretary OF the
Navy for tug to take her outside, and
applied also at the pilot Office for pilot
boat, but without success. This strong
wind and high sen was the very thing
coveted for the trial but | shall send
the boat TO the beach by rail next week,
and will be forced to defer this final trial
for week or two.
/ propose to pitch her off the sides OF
a tue in high sea, and leave her for an
hour or two to the mercy of the waves
If she is unframed, then get into hei
with the three men who were with me
Yesterday and who are anxious to MAKE
the trip, and take her ashore through the
breakers Very truly, W. W. L.